Ascending to Legend
by V.Evergreen
Summary: In theory recording the tales of their deeds was a good idea. In practice, not so much. Or, how our legends came to be a little...skewed.


To say Gwen was worried when she looked down one of the halls of Camelot to see her husband storming towards her, a scroll clutched in his hands and looking ready to commit murder was an understatement. It didn't ease her mind that when she looked past him she could see Gwaine cackling and Merlin fighting back a smile. The rest of the knights held back and ranged between looking amused and flushed with righteous indignation.

"Have you seen this?" He demanded when he reached her, waving the paper in the air.

"What it it?" She asked trying to keep her voice soothing. Arthur was usually quite even tempered but at times like this she found it best to try and be as calming as possible. She thought it was beginning to work when the tension began to leave his face...only to reappear again when Gwaine snorted and began laughing again.

"The scribe." Was the short answer she received through gritted teeth.

Hesitantly, she reached for the crumpled paper her husband held in his hands. He let it pass through his fingers with visible effort and only narrowed his eyes slightly when Gwen smoothed it so she could see what was written on it.

She read the title and a memory flooded back to her. "It's the stories that that scribe asked to write of your quests, isn't it?" She asked excitedly. Arthur had never been terribly keen on the idea but she could remember sitting at street corners as a child with her friends as they listened to tales of great adventures at the local bard's knee. Between her and the knights they had convinced him to let the scribe put ink to paper to tell others of their journeys and adventures.

"Read it." Was Arthur's only reply.

Gwen gave him a reproving look but returned her eyes to the paper. It took only two minutes of reading before a crease appeared in her brow and she looked back up incredulously, "This is ridiculous!" She said slightly awed by the man's blantantly disregard for fact and his audacity, "He's just made half of this up!"

Arthur continued to look livid and Gwaine looked like he was actually having problems with remaining upright. "Did you hear what he called me?" Asked Gwaine trying to calm down enough to understood.

Gwen shook her head, "No, was it horrible?"

Her answer made him double back over and her brother had to step forward to answer for him with a disapproving look at his friend, "The scribe saw fit to name him..," her brother said before visibly steeling himself, "the champion and saviour of women."

Gwaine had to lean against the wall he was laughing so hard but Elyan just clenched his jaw. Gwen knew her brother well enough to see that there was something her brother hadn't told her, "What did he call you?" She asked hesitantly.

Her brother took what could have passed for a cleansing breath if it weren't for his tightly clenched fists, "Sir Elyan The White." He said, his voice tightly controlled, "Was that supposed to be funny?"

Gwen would have had a problem holding back a giggle if it weren't for Arthur finally finding his voice. "But that's not all! Oh no, this man didn't stop there! According to him Gwaine is my nephew and Agravaine my brother! Apparently, I wasn't even royal from birth but I pulled some sword out a stone! It's an absolute load of rubbish!"

"Don't forget my mother!" Chortled Gwaine, trying to control his breathing.

She sent a look to her husband for an explanation. He sighed in defeat, "Gwaine of course is the first born son of Morgause."

"You know now you mention it they do look a little similar." Piped up Merlin with a sly smile, "Must be all that hair!"

Gwen's lips gave a traitorous twitch as she tried hold back an amused smile. She was glad when Arthur appeared to wrapped up in his own over the top annoyance that he didn't notice.

"Don't forget what he said about Merlin!" Gwaine called out from behind Arthur.

Arthur wheeled back around to face her, "How could I forget? Merlin is also an extremely old and extremely powerful sourcerer."

"Don't forget his name." Said Leon having a hard time fighting his own amusement at the antics surrounding him.

Arthur nodded, "Merlin is no longer Merlin, we must get used to calling him Emrys, or better yet Sire. Because as we all know, he is King of the Druids."

Gwen went to laugh at her husband's ridiculous proclamation but behind him she could see Merlin shifting uncomfortably, his face a little paler than she would like. She could understand, she wasn't terribly keen on being the centre of attention at the best of times either, but since taking the throne she'd become more used it. At Merlin's uneasy shifting she took pity on him and redirected the attention to her.

"What did he say about me?" She asked lightly.

She had expected further ridiculous tales or jokes but she got neither. Instead, of all the knights fell rather ominously silent. Even Gwaine, which was never a good sign. Leon shifted uncomfortably and Arthur rubbed the back of his neck, a sure sign of discomfort.

Strangely enough, it was Percival who answered in his slow and measured tone, "Nothing of consequence, my lady."

The others nodded vigorously.

"I'm not sure he even wrote about you very much-" put in Leon.

Elyan jumped in looking far too earnest to be taken seriously, "He was more focused on the quests and you weren't in very many so-"

"He might have mentioned you in passing once or twice but nothing more-"

She narrowed her eyes at Merlin the last to speak but she quickly switched her gaze to Arthur. "What did he say, Arthur?"

"Does it matter?" Arthur hedged, "None of it's true after all-"

"Well if it doesn't matter," said Gwen, a dangerous spark having taken in her eye, "then I don't suppose any of you will really mind when I continue reading."

Quicker than she could blink Arthur reached out and snatched the parchment from her hands. He held it behind his back so she couldn't reach it and almost as though they had planned it Merlin darted forward, took it from him, and retreated.

"What does it say about me?" She demanded, looking from one guilty face to the next.

When no one answered she rounded Arthur and walked over to Merlin. She saw him visibly swallow and throw it to Leon who looked equally as panicked when she turned to him. His eyes darted to Gwaine as though gauging how hard he would need to throw what he held but she held up a hand first.

"Stop!" She said in a raised voice. Leon held still uncertainly but Gwen continued, "Sir Leon," she began in her most regal voice and with a meaningful look, "as your Queen I am asking you to show me what the Scribe has written."

Reluctantly, Leon held out the scroll but before her hand could reach out and take it Arthur spoke form behind her.

"And as you King, Sir Knight, I am telling you not to let her see that scroll under any circumstances." Leon looked a little torn towards them so Arthur gave a discreet little cough, "I would just like to remind you, Leon, who would be taking training tomorrow and who could feasibly make your morning a living hell."

Leon took back the scroll with a mumbled apology to Gwen. Percival clapped him on the shoulder in apparent sympathy and spared her an apologetic look. But she had decided she would not be defeated so easily.

She looked to Leon and smiled sweetly, "And I would like to remind you who has been invited to have tea with your mother tomorrow noon." Leon's eyes widened. His mother had always favoured Gwen ever since they had been children playing together. Even after her coronation Gwen and tentatively asked if she would mind continuing their weekly tea and his mother had responded with open arms. He knew his mother loved him but as a mother to five boys she would be every bit more inclined to side with Gwen if this devolved into a childish argument.

Wordlessly, he handed over the scroll to Gwen who took it with a gracious "Thank you." And a bright smile. He was careful not to look behind her to where Arthur was glaring at him, eyes promising a slow and painful end.

Gwen began flicking through the fresh ink and parchment scanning for her name amongst the words. They all watched on as the smile fell from her face and was slowly replaced by a frown.

Arthur shifted nervously and spoke, "We all know it's slander and that you and Lancelot would never have-"

He never finished his sentence for before he could all through the gilded halls of Camelot the usually calm Queen's shriek could be heard as she dropped the script describing her passionate and fabricated relationship, hitched her skirts to her ankles and took off at a dead sprint to find and most likely murder the most inaccurate Scribe she had ever had the misfortune to come across.


End file.
